Lumberjanes (Boom Studios)
Story by: Noelle Stevenson & Grace Ellis
Art by: Brooke Allen
Camp. Adventures. Girl power.
What else can be better in a comic?
Lumberjanes has been an exciting read for this newbie comic enthusiast. I appreciate when writers and artists put their skills on display to consistently bring a story to life, but until recently, I haven’t had any that kept me waiting so impatiently for the next issue. When I found something that so fondly reminded me of my childhood, things have never been the same.
I don’t remember how I learned about this series, but I am glad I found it. Just the covers alone transport my imagination back to the nostalgic days of Girl Scouting. I have so many great memories of my girl friends staying up past midnight gossiping, taking hikes and accidently getting lost. I even learned to fight my fear of getting on top of a horse through my Girl Scouting days. Reading Lumberjanes transports me back to a day that girl power mattered, life was filled with adventures, and each day brought with it newness and wonder.
Besides the nostalgic value of this comic, there are many reasons why it’s a great comic for everyone. Lumberjanes is action packed, filled with cute-girly but not overly annoying sayings, and highlights girls working with each other cooperatively. Between Noelle Stevenson’s and Grace Ellis’ writing style and Brooke Allen’s artwork, I do favor the design a bit better. I think the artwork by Allen is great – it’s colorful, expressive, and not too girly. After five issues, I do wish there has been a bit more character development with some of the girls. It seems that each issue is centered on one of their skill-sets, so we are slowly learning about each of the girls. There is hope that this continues to provide insight on the girls’ background as we further explore their interest – especially since this is has been picked up as a monthly comic.
Two unique things about this comic elevate its reading experience; the badges and a mix tape. The girls earn a badge (that is showcased on the back page) that relates to the events that occurred in the story. The simplistic design resembles the many badges I loved earning as a kid in scoutin. In addition, the story wraps up with a mix tape from one of the girls. It’s a great way to highlight their unique personalities and it if you listen to it while reading the comic it only elevates the experience.
I appreciate that this comic values girl friendships and the need to work cooperatively as teens. Girls need to be reminded that working together means more success in the long run. The girls in this comic work together each issue to learn more about the mystical creatures at camp. I also love that the characters are so unique, There’s the girly girl, the outdoorsy girl, the rule follower, they quirky, funny one, and the tough girl. I actually think that each of these girls have all of the mentioned attributes in one-way or another which is a true representation of all women. There are so many positive images of girls that any reader can relate to one of them even male readers. This comic shows that girls can do anything and we need more of that in our culture.
Lumberjanes highlights what every girl needs in this world; a kickass role model that works with their friends and learns from their adventures in the world. Everyone should give this as a gift to a young female in their life, read it with their kids, or enjoy it alone. It’s a delightful, fun comic and something we need more of.